Automatic train control



Patented Nov. 18, 1919. 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

O. M. CROSBY.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT-11,1917. 1,321,984.

ATTORNEY WITN ESSES 0. M. CROSBY. AUTOMATIC mm CONTROL. -APPL|CATION HL'ED SEPT-H.191].

Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

ATTORNEY OTIS 1V1. CROSBY, OE LOVELAN D, GQLOLRALDO.

AUTOMATIG TRAIN CONTROL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 18, 1am.

Application filed. September 11, 1917. Serial No. 190,807.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTIS M. CROSBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Loveland, in the county of Larimer and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train Controls, of which the following is a specification.

.This invention relates to an automatic train control, and has special reference to devices which are adapted to prevent collisions.

One object of this invention is the pro duction of an electrically operated system which will automatically stop a train moving in the same direction on the same track as a preceding train at such a distance as to prevent a rear end collision.

Another object of this invention is the production of an automatic train control, which has the track provided with a number of blocks, thereby causing a train in one block to close a circuit for automatically stopping a followin r train in the rear block.

A still further ob ect of this invention in the production of an automatic train control wherein a block is normally opened so as to permit a train to pass in one direction with out any hindrance, although this train will automatically close the circuit for stopping an immediately following train.

Another object of this invention is the production of an automatic train control wherein an electrically operated means is provided upon the locomotive for automatically stopping the train when a circuit in the block upon which the train is moving is closed.

One practical form of construction and assembly of the present invention will be hereinafter described and is illustrated in the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a road illustrating the various connections for forming the different circuits,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the automatic switch housing,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4.4- of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the niech anism carried by the locomotive, illustrating the device by which: the locomotive is n'iatically stopped;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view, partly in elevation, taken through the automatic steam valve, T

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view, partly in elevation, of the valve connected to the air pipes.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

by numerals, it will be seen that the main rails l are suitably insulated from each other as at 2, thereby causing the road-bed to be divided into a plurality of blocks. Each block is similarly wired and for this reason it is thought that the disclosure wiring of one block will be sufficient for clearly disclosing the proper wiring of all of the blocks of the road-way.

The electrical sources of supply as shown at 3, whichmay be in the form of low voltage storage batteries, are connected by the conductors 4 to the rails 1, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. i

The automatic switch comprises a housing 5, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4: inclusive. An inverted lL-shaped frame 6 is fixedly mounted upon the lower portion of the housing 5, within the interior of this housing.

A magnet 7 is fixedly secured to-the upper freeend of the frame 6, and the, conductor wires 8 are connected to the magnet 7 and pass through openings 9 formed in the frame 6. These conductor wires 8 are also attached to the binding posts 10 carried within the housing 5, while the conductor wires 8 then pass through openings 11 formed in the housing 5 adjacent to the binding posts 10 so as to be connected to the rails 1, as shown in Fig. 1.

The lower portion of the frame 6 is bifurcated as shown at 12 and carries the pivot pin 13. It will of course be understood that the frame 6 is formed of any suitable insulating material, such as of hard rubber or the like. The armature 14: has a sleeve 15 formed thereon and this sleeve 15 is carried upon the pin 13 as shown in Fig. 2. Tn this way the armature 1 1 is pivotally supported. This armature 14E tapers toward its rear end although it is comparatively broad at its forward end shown in Figs. 3 and. a. The

magnet 7 is provided with a fixed core 16 directly above the magnetic block 17 mounted upon the armature 14L.

Owing to the fact that the source of electrical supply 3 will cause electrical energy to pass to the rails 1, and this electrical energy passesover the conductor wires for em sity to energize the magnet 7 solenoid 29 is carried ergizi-ng the magnet 7. As this magnet 7 is energized the magnetism will cause the armature 14 to be drawn upwardly, to nor mally assume the position as shown in one of the automatic switch housings in Fig. 1. When however, the rails in one of the blocks are connected together in the short circuit manner the electrical energy will be taken up so as to be prevented from passing over the conductor wires 8 with sufiicient intenof a particular block. Therefore as the magnet 7 is deenergized, the armature 14 will fall to its lower most position, as shown in Fig. 2 to close another circuit to be hereinafter disclosed.

It willbe noted that binding posts 18 are also mounted within the housing 5 directly beneath the armature 14, while the conduc tor wires 19 are connected with the binding posts 18 and are also connected to the rails 1. A suitable source of high voltage electrical supply indicated at 20 is connected to one of the conductors 19 for forming an operating circuit for automatically controlling a train as hereinafter specified. Since the armature 17 is normally in its elevated position this circuit will not be closed but as soon as the armature 17 moves to its lowered position it will allow the operating circuit to be closed by the mechanism carried by the engine.

The locomotive 21, which for the purpose of illustrating the operation of the present invention, is shown diagrammatically in Fig. .5, is provided with an automatic control mounted thereon. This locomotive 21 is also provided with contact wheels 22 adj acent its front end, and it should be understood that these wheels should be suitably insulated from each other and also from the locomotive 21. The steam pipe 23 which leads from the usual steam dome, is provided with a valve casing 24, while the usual pipe 23 leads from the valve casing 24L in order to operate the steam throttle in the usual "manner when the passage way through the pipes 23 and 23 is open. The plunger 5 is reciprocally mounted upon the valve casing 24 and thisplunger 25 is provided with an opening 26 leading therethrough, as shown in Fig. 6. It should be understood that this plunger 25 is normally retained in. an elevated position adjacent the upper portion of the valve casing 24, thereby causing anunobstructed passage to allow the steam to pass through the casing when the locomotive is being operated under normal conditions. The stem 27 is connected to the plunger 25 and projects from the lower portion of the valve casing 24 while the packingcap 28 is provided for preventing the accidental escaping of steam around the stem 27. The directly beneath the valve casing and is electrically operated. as will be hereinafter specified. The core 30 of the solenoid 29 is connected to the stem 27 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

The air pipe 31 is provided with a T joint 32 and this pipe 31 extends beyond the T joint as shown at 31 to be connected to the control valve 53 operated by a handle 54. A pipe 55 leads beyond the valve 53 and for this reason it is obvious that when the engineer shifts the handle 51 passage through the valve 53 may be permitted so that air may pass through pipe to the usual brake mechanism. After the brakes have been applied the handle 54 may be further shifted to allow the passage through nipple 56 to be unobstructed, thus permitting the air line to be bled. A short pipe 33 extends from the T joint 32 and is connected to the air valve casing 34, while the short pipe extends from the air valve casing 34: and is connected to the T joint 36. A pipe 36 extends from the T oint 3G for conducting air to operate the usual air brake mechanism of the locomotive and train. The plunger 38 is reciprocally mounted within the air valve casing 34 and has a stem 39 leading therefrom, as shown in Fig. 7. The usual packing cap 40 is carried by the casing 34- for preventing the escaping of air around the stem 39. The solenoid 41 is carried in alinement with the air valve casing and has its core 42 pivotally connected to the stem 39 as shown at 43. It should be noted that the plunger 38 is normally carried so as to abut against the filler block :44 at one end of the air valve casing'31. thereby preventing the passage of air through the pipe 33 and A brush 4-5 is carried by the forward portions of the locomotive 21 and is adapted to be electrically connected to one of the contact wheels 22. The conductor 46 leads from. the brush i5 and is connected to the solenoid 41. A conductor 4-7 leads from the solenoid 41 and is connected to the solenoid 29, as shown in Fig. 5. A conductor 4-8 leads from the solenoid 29 and is connected to a second brush 49 carried by the forward portion of the locon'iotive 21, so as to engage the remaining contact wheel 22 upon the opposite side of the locomotive andengaging the opposite rail.

It should further be noted that a conductor 50 leads from the conductor 46 and is connected to a bell or other suitable signal 51, while the conductor 52 leads from the bell and is connected to the conductor 48. thereby forming a shunt circuit.

As above specified it should be understood that the plunger 25 is normally carried so as to permit a free passage of air or steam through the pipes and 23, to be controlled by the usual steam throttle in a locomotive. It should also be understood that the plunger 38 normally closes the passage.- way through the pipes 33 and 35, for causing the usual air-brake mechanism of the locomotive and train to be operated in the usual manner and without interference from the automatic control.

When a trainis passing in one direction, for instance to the left in Fig. 1, the usual wheels will cause the blocks upon which the train is Ptlbblllg to short circuit the source oi supply from 3, thereby causing the magnets in the next block in the rear to be deenergized, thereby allowing the armature to fall into engagement with the contact posts 18. As a consequence it a train is following and passing toward the left in Fig. 1 onto the block controlled by the armature, the electrical current from the high voltage source of supply will then pass over the conductor wires 19 to the rails 1, since the armature will form a closure between the contact posts 18. The contact wheels of the second locomotive passing toward the leit will pick up the current and the current from the source of energy 20 will then pass over the coni ductor l6 so as to energize the solenoid ll.

The current will then pass over the conductor l? to energize the solenoid 29 and then from this solenoid 29 the current will pass over the conductor 4:8 to the remaining brush 4:9 and from this remaining brush over the remaining contact wheel 22 to the remaining rail, thus forming a complete circuit. As the solenoids are instantaneously energized by the high voltage current, it is obvious they will draw their cores inwardly so as to draw upon the plungers 25 and 38. As the plunger 38 is drawn so as to permit a free passage of air through the pipes 33 and 35 it is obvious that the brakes oi the train will be automatically set. As the plunger 25 is moved down ardly it will cause the opening 26 formed thereto to move out of registry with the pipes 28 and 23, thereby cutting oil" the supply of steam which drives the locon1o ti've. Thus as the motive power is cut off and the brakes are automatically set the locomotive will be stopped. It should also be noted that as the circuit is passing over the mechanism mounted upon the locomotire, it will also pass over the conductors 50 and 52, causing the signal 51 to operate. Therefore if for some reason the sto 'iping mechanism fails to operate, the signalv 51 within the cab will be sounded thus signaling to the engineer so as to permit the engineer to bring the locomotive to a standstill.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a very efiicient automatic train control has been produced, so that the train passing upon an open block will not be stopped. If however, the roadway is provided with a train moving in the same di motion the first train will cause the automatic switch in. the rear block to be operated for forming a new circuit, thereby causing the auton'iatic control or an engine iollowing in the same direction, to be actuated for automatically bringing the locomotive to a stand-still. it should be further understood that the system herein described is used to prevent rear end collisions, or to prevent a train passing in one direction new running into a block from which one rail has beendisplaced as the case of a wash-out or the like, thus preventing such train from running from the track. The system is intended to be used upon a roadway where all the traliic is passing in one direction and where the ordinary double track system is employed, it is necessary to provide a separate system as herein described for each track. It should be further understood that the source of supply 3 may be of a low voltage such for instance as one or two low voltage storage batteries or cells which are only sufficiently strong enough to retain the armature of an automatic switch in an elevated position, but which current is not strong enough to actuate the solenoids carried by the engine. However, the source of supply 20 is of a very high voltage nature and for this reason the solenoids of the engine will be instantaneously energized to draw the cores inwardly and thus cause the valves to be operated for cutting oil the supply of steam normally controlled by the throttle and also applying the air brakes.

It is obvious that many minor changes may be made in the construction of this invention, without departing from the spirt of the device, and for this reason it is not intended to limit the construction of the device to the specific form herein disclosed, since it is intended to include all forms oi the invention as fall within the scope of the device as claimed.

In which I claim:

1. In a system of the class described, the combination of a plurality of blocks, an automatic switch for each block, a low voltage source of supply connected to each block and to the automatic switch of an adjacent block for normally rendering the auton'iatic switch inoperative the high voltage source of supply connectcdto each block and to said corresponding automatic switch, whereby when the low voltage current of an adjacent block is short circuited the automatic switch willbecom'e operative and close" the circuit of the high voltage source of suppl. a t .t a

2. n a system of the class described, the combination of a plurality of blocks, a source of low voltage electrically connected to each block, an automatic switch provided for each block including an electromagnet and an armature and contact posts in the path ogt movement of said armature, coin cluctors connected to one block and also connected to the electroniagnet of the switch of an adjacent block, whereby said armature will be normally retained in a set po- 7 sition by the magnet, a source of high voltage or electrical energy connected to each block and to the contact posts of the switch and said magnet being deenergized when the low voltage energy of the adjacent block 10 is short circuited, thus causing the arma- OTIS M. CROSBY. Witnesses J. F. KUNoE, F. B. l/VADDLE. 

